


To be perfectly happy

by fangrrlsing (Niwidu)



Category: Hannibal Extended Universe - Fandom, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), The Jane Austen Book Club (2007)
Genre: Alpha Galen Erso, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Hannibal Extended Universe, M/M, Meet-Cute, Omega Grigg Harris, True Mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-26
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-06-16 13:37:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15438180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niwidu/pseuds/fangrrlsing
Summary: “Can I help you?”The unfamiliar voice tears him from his thoughts. He looks up and everything seems to stop for a moment. He sees a man, slightly bigger than him, the friendly smile and the warm eyes. He smells alpha, safe, home. The world rushes back into focus and he sees the nametag, Galen, and notices the greying hair.ORA chance encounter can go a long way on the path to happiness.





	To be perfectly happy

**Author's Note:**

> Have my second fic for SummertimeSlick!
> 
> Title is leeched from a quote from Jane Austen: I wish, as well as everybody else, to be perfectly happy; but, like everybody else, it must be in my own way.
> 
> There is exactly one Kyrgyz word somewhere in there. According to Google Translator it means something like Darling. I have no idea if Kyrgyz people use it as a petname but I do. If someone speaks Kyrgyz or nows someone who does or knows what kind of petnames they use: Feel free to let me know!
> 
> I also dropped the name of a software company and though bad working environments are implied I actually don't know how happy or unhappy their employees are.
> 
> I'd love to hear what you think of this mess, so you're free to leave a comment or visit me on [Tumblr](https://fangrrlsing.tumblr.com). Oh, and Bonus Points for everyone who notices the other Rare Pair!

“Care to explain why my letter to you couldn’t be delivered?”

Galen winces at the cutting voice of his only daughter. The connection crackles. “That. Yeah. I moved, actually. Was a bit of a spontaneous decision, a compulsion. You were already on your mission, so I couldn’t tell you the news. Are you in the US again?”

“No, not yet, but I’m already at the airport in London. Boarding begins in about half an hour. I wanted to visit you, actually. Do I still have my own room?”

“Of course! You know you’re always welcome at your home. Where do you arrive?”

“San Francisco. Please don’t tell me you moved to the eastside!”

“You know me better! It’s just Sacramento. I’ll send you the address. Or should I pick you up from the airport?“

“That would be lovely. I’m ready to crash.”

“I’ll let you sleep for a week, no worries.”

Jyn chuckles. “Thanks dad. Just tell me one thing.”

“Sure, what is it?”

“Why Sacramento?”

***

_Jocelyn has a new boyfriend. Is it normal that I find that weird? Or should I be happy for her?_

_I really thought that she was the one and now she has someone else._

_Maybe I don’t have anyone out there?? I was so sure that I would find them in Sacramento. I had this feeling, you know?_

_Can you imagine that? Because I think I was wrong._

_I’m tired of being alone._

_But how are you doing? How is the new job treating you? And what about the woman you met?_

***

“At least the house is nice. And the mattress is to die for.”

“You say that because you slept in a small tent for the last months.” Galen grins at his daughter and hands her the jam. “And you will like the good weather even more.”

Jyn laughs at that. “You bet. I have enough of constant temperature changes. Maybe we can go to the beach in the coming days?”

Galen nods, swallowing the bite of bread he took, and answers, “Not exactly the right season but sure. I have the day off tomorrow.”

“You have a job? Since when? And where?” asks Jyn, caught unawares. 

Her father grins embarrassed. “In a bookstore. After I moved here I saw that they were looking for a part-timer. And I had enough of sitting at home, worrying over my rebellious daughter.” 

“That’s great! I mean, even if it was spontaneous it was the right choice to move here, it seems. And maybe you’ll find time for the sequel. You know, featuring our great rescue mission and all.” 

“I don’t have enough of my life there left for a second book, you know that. And I was sick of San Francisco, you know what working for Nexant did to me.”

Jyn’s smile softens and she takes his hand in both of hers. They’re full of callouses but still so small compared to his. “I know. I’m glad you’re so well. And what I’ve seen it’s a nice town, small. But we have to talk about the book again because you could just think up something, you know.”

Galen snorts amused. “You slept as soon as we left the airport.”

She squints at his evasion but chooses to let him be. For now. “Shut up. Even the old seats of your car are more comfortable than the Kyrgyz ground.”

“I know,” he laughs. “I’d offer to show you around but I have work until after lunch.”

“I’m a big girl, dad, I can occupy myself.”

Proud, Galen looks at her, silent for a moment. “I know, Kenç. I know.”

***

Grigg wanders mindlessly through the bookstore, picking at his favorites and putting them back. He couldn’t concentrate on work and even writing the mail to his sister wasn’t enough to get his head clear.

Jocelyn got her last things in the morning, choosing the occasion to tell him about her new partner, another omega. Apparently it was love at first sight and it reminded him of how hard he had to fight for her. He couldn’t help but wonder if that was the first sign that their relationship was not meant to last forever.

“Can I help you?” 

The unfamiliar voice tears him from his thoughts. He looks up and everything seems to stop for a moment. He sees a man, slightly bigger than him, the friendly smile and the warm eyes. He smells alpha, safe, home. The lingering smell of books and machine oil. The world rushes back into focus and he sees the nametag, Galen, and notices the greying hair. 

“I’m sorry but you seem a little lost. Do you search a specific book?” The man adds when Grigg doesn’t answer. 

He talks with a slight accent Grigg can’t pinpoint and it bothers him. “Ah, no. Thank you, I’m just- childhood memories, you know?” Grigg winces but the man only smiles wider.

“Alright. But if you need any recommendations, I’ll be at the register.”

Grigg watches him leave, noting how he absentmindedly moves the books straight. He is handsome though Grigg can’t say why. Because of the small tum? Or because of the lines in his face that seem to scream of a hard past? The self-awareness he seems to have?

He wanders one aisle up and down, thoughts about Jocelyn forgotten, before giving in, curious what books the man would come up with. He is sure that he already found all the books he would be interested in.

He comes up to the register where a woman puts a couple of books in her bag. When the woman turns away, Grigg approaches Galen.

“Hey,” he begins, Galen looking at him expectantly. “About the books you could recommend...”

“Of course! Should it be Science Fiction too or is that only for reminiscing?”

Grigg laughs. “No. No, I’m still an active Sci-Fi reader.”

“Good to hear. Just follow me.” Galen leads the way, Grigg trotting behind him.

“I’m Grigg, by the way,” he blurts awkwardly and the alpha smiles at him. “G-R-I-G-G.”

“And I’m Galen. Do you prefer technology that is more realistic or should it be as crazy as possible?”

Grigg blinks. “I like it more if it’s plausible, actually.” Galen nods and he adds with no particular reason, “I’m really into technology. Makes it hard to enjoy something where it wouldn’t work under normal circumstances.”

Galen nods again, understanding. “The curse of working in the industry.”

“Yes, exactly! So you worked with technology before?”

“Kind of. For many years,” Galen replies. His face seems to close off, a door behind his eyes slamming shut and already Grigg mourns asking for more than he was given. Galen grabs a book, holding it out for him to read. “This is a classic. I guess you already read it?”

The rejection stings for some reason and Grigg focuses instead on the book.

Reading the title he nods. “I really enjoyed this one.”

Galen smiles satisfied. “Then you should also like this. It came out a few years ago but is still pretty unknown.”

Grigg musters the cover. Something that looks like a planet that’s still getting built hovers in space, a small spaceship heading its way. _Rogue One_ stands in bold letters at the bottom.  
“No, I actually don’t know this one,” says Grigg surprised. “What is it about?”

***

It’s a surprisingly warm day, only a few clouds in the sky, a light breeze carrying the smell of summer, and Allegra moved the book club meeting to the beach. The beach is surprisingly empty, only a handful of people wandering at the shore, a dog barking in the distance. They are fewer than usual, with Prudie and her husband in Paris and Bernadette traveling around the world with her seventh husband.

This leaves Grigg alone with Jocelyn, Allegra and her parents Sylvia and Daniel. He is glad that Allegra met a new girl and can’t stop talking about her so no one notices that his thoughts are miles away. They are circling around the book Galen recommended and which he inhaled through the night. He can’t get the space opera of a widowed research scientist, forced to build a weapon of mass destruction for the oppressive regime, out of his head and while it ends reasonably hopeful that the regime can be overcome, there are still open questions- what happened to the daughter the scientist had to leave behind when he was taken from his hiding place? Will the illusive Alliance be able to stop the regime from taking over space? What will happen to the scientist when it does?

After reading the last sentence Grigg searched the internet up and down but the book seems to be the only one from the author. That was why he marched into the book store as soon as it opened to question Galen about it. But the alpha wasn’t in today as another employee informed him so he had to postpone it. Talking with anyone else about this never even crossed his mind.

“Grigg? You still with us?”

He startles, looking at Jocelyn who musters him questioningly.

“He’s in love, can’t you see that?” answers Allegra for him and he turns to her, wide eyed.

“What? No!”

Allegra grins. “Sure, believe what you will. But I know this dumb struck expression. Who’s the lucky one?”

Sylvia musters him. “You’re right. He looks just like you.”

“There is no one,” Grigg denies, stumbling over the words. He feels Jocelyn’s stare and laughs awkwardly. Even though their break-up was months ago, even though she herself is in a new relationship, it feels wrong to speak about such themes in front of her. He chooses to deflect. “I just read a book yesterday I can’t stop thinking about.”

“Oh, what book? I guess, it’s not one of O’Brian’s,” Jocelyn teases him with a smile and for a short moment it hurts how easy it is for her to ignore the awkwardness.

“No, I’m good with them. It was a book I got recommended, Rogue One. I couldn’t put it down. It’s about this research scientist Tristan, you see. An alpha who loves his omega Galahad and their daughter very much. But he has to work for the regime that calls itself the Empire. And the Empire is bad news.” He pauses for a moment and thinks on how to best summarize the book. “When he refuses to build those massive weapons they want, they go for his family. Lyn, their daughter, can escape but Galahad dies protecting her. So Tristan has to go with the Empire and has to complete the Death Star. That’s a weapon that can destroy whole planets. Did I mention that it plays in space? And he, I mean Tristan, tries to get in the Empire’s good graces so they won’t notice the failsafe he built into the Death Star. And he has to find a way to get the information about this little trick to the Alliance. That are like several rebel groups from the whole universe that try to stop the Empire before it gets too powerful.”

“And?” asks Jocelyn impatient. Grigg loves that her own love of Sci-Fi survived their break-up, that this little thing he gave her stayed.

But he can’t still her curiousity and shrugs. “He gives someone a holographic message and sends him to the leader of a rebel group. And that is the end.”

Jocelyn looks appalled. “The end? There must be a sequel planned. No one writes such a novel without a sequel.”

Grigg shrugs again, helpless. “I spent the whole morning searching the internet and found nothing. Only many theories about how a sequel could go but that’s it.”

“What a dick move,” Allegra offers and Jocelyn agrees.

“But the best thing is that it is so thought through. Technically I mean. And Tristan mourns through the whole book for his true mate and his little daughter. He never gets to know if she is still alive and that was really- woah.”

Allegra snorts. “But of course they had to be true mates. Because everything else is not valid.”

“No, no, no! That’s not it! It isn’t over the top or forced or anything. I mean, they only had the first few chapters together but they were so familiar with each other and they never explicitly state that they are true mates. But they are, I know that.”

“And you are the expert of course, right? Because omegas know these things,” Allegra teases.

Sylvia reprimands her immediately. “Allegra! You don’t say things like that.”

The wind changes direction, carrying the faintest hint of machine oil and books. Grigg immediately perks up, squinting in the direction the smell comes from.

He doesn’t hear Allegra’s snort and her saying “He definitely has a crush”. Instead he concentrates on the two figures nearing their group. One spins in circles, arms thrown out and head thrown back. The other follows slowly, arms swinging freely by their sides.

A laugh perls through the air and the spinning person stops, leaning against the other one. Grigg frowns.

“Who is that? Grigg?”

“I don’t know,” he answers distracted, trying to figure out the relationship between the two persons. They look familiar with each other but Galen wasn’t bonded. At least yesterday. Not that he has any claim on the alpha.

Jocelyn gapes at him, while Allegra proclaims her love for the girl she met, having lost interest in Grigg’s behavior. “You know you are allowed to have relationships, right, Grigg?”

“Of course,” Grigg answers without hesitation, not looking at her. He can see out of the corner of his eyes that she’s leaving, but it is more important that he can finally make out the faces of the approaching persons. The one really is Galen. The other is a woman, clearly younger than Galen and Grigg breathes a little deeper. She could very well be his daughter.

Grigg is still watching Galen when he realizes that Galen is staring back at him. He is only a few meters away when Grigg speaks up. “Hey...” It is foolish, he knows, for why should Galen remember him? 

But Galen actually stops, smiling warmly. “Hello. You were in the bookstore yesterday, right? Acres Books?”

“Yes! I- actually, I was there again this morning but they told me you weren’t in today...”

Galen blinks surprised. “Oh? Well, you found me. If you wanted to talk to me.”

“Yeah, no. I mean, about the book I bought yesterday. The one you recommended...” Grigg scratches his neck, smiling shyly. “I just wanted to know if you know about a sequel. I,” he laughs embarrassed. “I searched for hours, like every website of the internet but I didn’t find anything and it has been a few years and... I don’t know. You seemed like someone who knows all about the book.”

That is when the young woman interrupts. “Do you mean _Rogue One_?” When Grigg nods, she starts cackling, punching Galen’s arm repeatedly. “I told you, dad. That’s not how you end a sci-fi novel.”

Grigg watches stunned as Galen’s cheeks pink the slightest bit until he realizes what the woman said. “Wait. _You_ wrote the book? That is... Wow. I mean. _Wow_.” He laughs disbelievingly. 

“Yeah, I know, hard to believe,” answers the woman cheekily, extending her hand to him. “I’m Jyn, his daughter.”

He shakes her hand. “Grigg. I’m Grigg. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice indeed! Maybe you can help me. My father can be really stubborn and he his afraid a sequel wouldn’t be well received or something.” She winks at him. “But who knows, a cute guy is probably more convincing than the own daughter.”

Grigg blushes, shaking his head.

“Jyn!” Galen admonishes his daughter, cheeks bright red. “I’m sorry, Grigg. But... We could maybe meet someday?” At Grigg’s blank expression he hurries to explain, “So you can ask your questions about my book. If you have any. And only if you want!”

Grigg doesn’t know how he got so lucky. The author of a great book who seems really nice, willing to meet him so he can ask questions about said book. Never mind that he is a good-looking alpha with an inviting scent (and that really shouldn’t matter because he doesn’t know if Galen is even interested in him like that). “That’d be awesome. I’d really like that! Um, you can have my card.” He searches his pockets, pulling one card out and handing it over to Galen with a grin. “Just write me or call me and we can meet up.”

“I will, thank you. But now, we don’t want to keep you from your company.”

Grigg looks over his shoulder where the rest of the book club watches him with amused grins. He smiles sheepishly. “Yeah. We have a book club, actually. Reading Patrick O’Brian and... I should probably go back, you’re right. It was good seeing you again. And you, Jyn, of course. So...”

“I’ll call you,” promises Galen and laughs. “Have a good day, okay?”

“I will.” Grigg smiles, looking to his friends again. Allegra is laughing, Sylvia and Daniel still look amused and Jocelyn watches him fondly. “I will.”

***

“A strike, yeah. At least my flight is only delayed. I should be in San Francisco tomorrow afternoon if they don’t cancel it.”

“Should we get you? You only have to send a message before the start and we’ll be there.”

“Ugh. So you’re still this disgustingly happy, ‘let’s do everything together’ couple?”

Galen laughs. “He’s only worried about you. He doesn’t have the years long experience I have, you know. I mean, I could send him alone to the airport if you’d like that more.”

“I very well might,” Jyn teases. “But I’ll be glad when boarding finally begins. I hate waiting at the airport. I’ll call again if I know more!”

“Do that, Kenç. And stay safe.”

“Always, Dad. Love you!”

The call ends. “Her flight is delayed. She should land tomorrow afternoon and she’s susceptible to our shuttle service.” Galen looks at his boyfriend ( _mate_ , his soul insists) who sits at the breakfast table, his script next to his plate. Warmth curls around his chest seeing him there. They moved together only a few weeks earlier and having him over, so naturally, still fills him with wonder. It probably always will.

When they met for the first time after the beach, Grigg was so full of questions and Galen loved answering them. And he told Grigg everything- that the book was his coping mechanism, that most of it was autobiographic just in space, that he mourned the years he lost with his daughter. And Grigg accepted everything, letting him talk, prodding at the right parts and leaving the others alone. Galen knew then that he would only bond with him. The following months only cemented it.

Grigg laughs. “I can imagine that. I’ll drive her gladly though she probably wants your car, huh?”

“I’m not sure your doughnut grease would get us all the way to San Francisco, so yeah. Better take mine.” Galen steps next to Grigg and presses a kiss into his brown curls. He inhales deeply, savoring the sweet smell of curiosity that always accompanies Grigg wherever he goes.

“Oh! I’m trough with your outline,” exclaims Grigg suddenly, smiling up at him. “Read through the night again, you see.”

“Explains why I couldn’t wake you at first,” huffs Galen amused, leaning down to kiss Grigg’s sweet lips.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. But I have to say, I really liked where you took the story. You know, after the near autobiographical part. It rounds things up nicely and I’m sure Jyn will be thrilled that her alter ego plays such an important part in the rebellion.”

Galen laughs. “That’s for certain.”

“And I’m glad that you didn’t pair Tristan up with someone else.” Grigg thinks for a moment and adds with a cheeky smile, “Though I would have loved to know how you would portray my alter ego.”

He receives a grin in return. “No, you are mine alone, understood? I won’t share your awesomeness with anyone else.”

“Flatterer,” Grigg snorts, running his hand through Galen’s hair. “I don’t want to share your awesomeness, too.“ He watches Galen intently, suddenly somber, eyes flitting over his face. “I’m really glad that I met you. And I’m so happy with you. I didn’t know...” He stops, eyes watering.

“That you could be this content? That you could feel so deeply for someone?” Galen smiles, eyes crinkling as he gazes at Grigg. “Me neither.”

Grigg laughs. “God, we’re so sappy. Jyn will have our head if she has to witness that.”

“Well, we still have more than a day before she’s back. Enough time to be sappy.” Galen holds Grigg’s gaze, smiling warmly. Because this is it. Without knowing what the future will bring, with only a few months of a relationship to back them up, he knows- Grigg will be the last.


End file.
